Vending-machine.



W. F. SMITH. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZI, 1918.

' Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

, 6 SHEETSSHEE[ I.

W. F. SIVHTH.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON. FILED MAR. 21.19l8- 9%p9fi%m Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

a suns-sugar 2.

w. F. SMITH. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MMLZI, 1918 Patented Feb. 18,1919.

6 SHEETSSHEE[ 3.

5 11400 nto z (lite-Lucas W. F. SMITH.

VENDING-MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 19:8.

Patented Feb. IS; 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEEI' 4.

W. F. SMITH.

VENDING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 19w.

Patented Feb. 18,1919,

6 SHEETSSHEE[ 5 WW 0 o aumwboz W-. F. SMITH.

' VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FIIILED MAR. 21., E918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEEf 6.

glywe/ntoi Specification of Letters Patent.

vnmirnetmncmn'n f Application filed March 21, 1918'. Serial No. seam.

of the coin controlled variety, and relates.

more particularly to a machine of this character which is designed to contain rolls of flexible material, such as paper, portions-0f which it is adapted todeliver .when the mechanismis released by the insertion of a suitable coin. v

The device is designed, primarily, for the,

vending of accident insurance policies and themain object of the invention is the pro vision of means for presenting a portion of the policy to be delivered that the purchasers name maybe inscribed thereon, to-. gether witlf such other information as may be desired, andalso. means for recording the name and other information when inscribed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for delivering one policy upon release of the: operative mechanism.

The invention also contemplates the provision of means for easily detaching a pollcy from the roll. I

A still further object contemplated by the invention is theprovision of a coin released lockmg mechanism and/means fortemporarilylocking the-delivery mechanism when the coin released locking mechanism has been unlocked.

' The invention also. contemplates the provision of a delivery roller and means, re-

leased by the coin, for automatically locking the roller after each revolution thereof.

The invention further contemplates the production of a simple, durable, and eflicient vending machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it "being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the'invention herein disclosedcan be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the. spirit of the invention.

One practical embodiment of the invens vending ,wherein:- igure 1 1s a perspectlve view of a complete vending machine constructed in accordance with the invention; 1 Flg. 2, is a plan view of the same with the outer casing insection and parts. removed; Fig. 3 is a view inside elevation of the machine with' the outer casing in section;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with portions removed and. showing the parts in released positions; i p v Fig; 5 is a central longitudinal section;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6of Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view-in elevation showlng the gearing between the rollers;

tion is shown in the accompanying draw-- STATES" PATENT orricn.

WILLIAM F. smrn, or sit. tours, inrssoimr.

ratent apenis, mt.

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary detail showing the lock ng mechanism in side elevation;

.9 is a sec-tionson the'line 9-9 of n carrying out theinvention there is provlded a base 10, herein shown as rectangular, which may .be formed of wood. or other convenient material. The operative mechanismof the device is mounted in a supporting frame which is seated on' the base 10 and which consists of vertically'disposed side plates 11 which, are connected at the forward and rear ends of their lower edges by thehorizontal cross bars'12. The plates 11 are also heldat their forward and rear ends, and adjacent their upper edges,

by the horizontal tie rods 13 and 14, respec-' tively. This supporting frame is clamped to the base 10 by means of .retainin hooks 15 which are engaged over the cross ars 12 and secured to the 'base 10 by screws or otherwise.

A horizontally disposed shaft 16 extends transversely of the mainsupporting frame,

in the side lates 11 of which it is journaled, and the en s of this shaft protrude beyond the plates ll. On one ,prbtrudi-ng end of the shaft 1 6 is secured a crank arm 1 7 provided with a handle 17. On the same end of the shaft 16 and close to the outer face of the side plate 11 is secured a spur gear 16, while on the other protruding end of the shaft 16 a pinion 16" is rigidly secured.

The spur gear 16 meshes with the inner member of a double pinion 1-8'which is rigid on one protruding end of the shaftor pintle of a horizontally arranged, knurled roller 19, the shaft or pintles of which are journaled in the side plates 11 of the supporting frame of the device. The outer member of the double pinion 18 meshes with a spur gear 20 which is rotatable on a stub shaft 21, secured to and extending outwardly from the side plate 11.

The pinionlG meshes with a spur gear 22 which. is rotatable on a stub shaft 23, secured to and extending outwardly from a side plate 11, and the spur gear 22 in turn meshes with a spur gear 24 rigid on the extending end of the shaft of a roller 25, which roller is arranged transversely of the support at the forward end thereof and the shaft of which roller is journaled in the side plates 11.

A spur gear 26 is rigid on the protruding end of the other pintle of the knurled roller 19 and this spur gear meshes with the spur gear 27 which is rigid on the protruding end of the pintle of another knurled roller 28, which roller is arranged t1 ansversely of the support and parallel with and closely spaced from the roller 19.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that, when the crank arm 17 is revolved clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, rotary motion counter clockwise Wlll. be lmparted,

through the spur gear 16 and inner portion of the pinion 18, to the knurled roller 19. At the same time rotation clockwise will be imparted through the outer portion of the pinion 18 to the spur gear 20, for a purpose hereinafter to be set forth. Rotary motion will also be imparted through the spur gears 26 and 27 to the knurled roller 28, such motion being clockwise, or opposite to that imparted to the roller 19.

At the same time, the pinion 16 which is rotating counter clockwise imparts rotary motion to the spur gear 22, said motion being in a clockwise direction. The gear 22 in turn imparts, through the gear 24, rotary .motion counter clockwise to the roller 25.

A table 29 extends transversely of the support, at the forward end thereof, and is secured to the side plates 11 adjacent their upper edges. A strip 30 of paper or like recording material is led over the table 29 and has its forward end secured to the roller 25 upon which it is adapted to be wound as theroller 25 is rotated as just described.

The strip 30 is led from therear edge of the table 29 beneath the shaft 16 and to a supply spool or reel 31 which is journaled in the strips 32, which strips are secured to the side plates 11 by screws or otherwise and are formed of slightly resihent material so that they may be sprung to easily receive the spool and also grip the ends of the spool to prevent spinning thereof.

A strip of copying material 33, such as carbon paper, extends across the table 29 and overlies the paper 30, and this strip is looped about the rod 13 and the shaft 16 to retain the strip in place upon the table.

The accident policies 33, or other articles to be delivered, are arranged in a roll on a spool or reel 34 which is journaled in the resilient supporting strips 35 which are secured to the side plates 11 by screws or otherwise. The strip of policies 33 is led from the spool 34 between the knurled rollers 19 and 28 and across the table 29, overlying the copying material 33 so that should one write upon that portion of the policy which rests upon the table an impression of such writing would be recorded on the strip 30 and be retained Within the machine and upon the spool 25.

Having thus seen the operative connection between the various parts and the purpose thereof, we will now consider the mechanism by which the parts are locked and the method of releasing such mechanism.

A substantially triangular plate 35 is secured to one side .plate 11 from which it is suitably spaced, and with which it defines a coin chute and plunger housing. A suitable inlet port or hopper 36 may be pro vided leading to the chute, and a plunger 37 is slidable between the plate 35 and the side plate 11, the plunger being provided 9 with a laterally extending pin 38 which projects through and slides in a slot 39 in the plate 35. A resilient element, such as the spring 40 which is secured to the side of the plate 35 and one branch of which contacts the extending end of the pin 38, is provided for retaining the plunger in its normal or raised position.

A discharge slot 41 is provided at the lowermost vertex of the triangular plate 35" and the plunger 37 terminates short of this slot, when in normal position, a sufficient distance to allow a coin of the required size to enter between the end of the plunger and the slot. Extending through an aperture 42 formed in the sideplate 11 and positioned before the slot 41 is a laterally extending lug 43 which is formed on a latch bar 44. The latch bar-44 is horizontally arranged and mounted to slide back and forth on the .outer face of the side plate 11, being held to slide upon the plate by screws 45 or other like securing elements which extend through slots formed longitudinally of the bar. The rear end of the bar 44 is turned outwardly and apertured to provide an attachment for one end of a retractile spring 46 the other end of which is suitably secured to the side plate 11.

a The forward end of the latch bar 44 is reduced and at this end is provided a finger 47 which is pivotally secured to the outer face ofthe bar 44 and which is drawn toward a position beside the reduced end by means of a spring 48, or like resilient elem'ent. This forward reduced end of the latch bar 44 abuts the periphery of a cam disk 49 which is carried oir'the stub shaft 21 and which rotates with the spur gear20.

a The cam disk 49 is formed at one point on its periphery with a normally downwardly facing shoulder 50 which is adapted to contact with and overlie the reduced end of the -latch,bar'44 when the parts are in normal or locked position. A cam strip 51 is aflixed to the outer face of the cam disk 49 an at the periphery ofthe disk and this a ip, when the cam disk is in normal position, ex- ,tends below the shoulder 50 and presents a shoulder to contact and overlie the end of the finger 47. It willfthus be seen, as ind1- rated most clearly inQFigs. 8 and 9, that when the cam disk 49 is in normalpos1t1on the finger 47 is depressed against the force of the spring 48.

vsrom the foregoing it will be .seen that when a proper coin or disk 52, see Fig. 5, is deposited in the hopper v36 it willfgravitate through the chute to a position of rest between the lower end of the plunger 37 and the laterally projecting .lug 43 of the latch bar 44 so that, when the plunger 37 is forced downwardly, the coin or disk 52 is projected through the slot 41 to force the lug 43 and 30 latch 'bar 44 rearwardly against the force of the retractile spring 46. This will draw the reduced forward end of the latch bar 44 from beneath the shoulder 50 and, at the 7 same time, draw the finger47 from beneath the end of the cam strip 51. When the finger 47 is released from the cam strip 51 it/ will rock upon its pivot under the force of the spring 48 to a position beside the reduced end of the bar 44 and in this position its free end will abut the periphery of the cam strip 51 thereby holding the end of the latch bar 44 removed from beneath the shoulder and in positionto engage with the periphery of the cam disk 49 when the disk is'reserves to unlock the cam disk and permit the same to make one revolution. As .willbe seen most clearly in Fig. 3,

the lug 43 also projects through the .aper- 5 ture 42 andextends slightly beyond the outer face of' the bar 44, and this extending end of the lug is adapted to strike the upper end of an arm 53 when the latch bar 44 is retracted.- The arm 53 is pivotally secured,-

at its lower end, to'the outer face of a side plate-1'1. A latch arm 54 is also pivotally secured at its lower end to the outer face of the side plate lland a connecting link 55 joins the arm 53 to the latch arm 54, having tile. spring 56 hasone end secured to thehnk 55 and the other end secured to the side plate llandserves to retain the arin 53 and ,7 latch arm 54 in their forward position for tea purpose soonto bedescribe'd.

- roller downwardly and yieldingly hold the 5 volved. As will be readily understood, this to an end pivotally secured to each. A retrac- A vertically disposed bar 57 is mounted to slide vertically .on the outer face of the side plate 11 by means of a screw 58 or like securing element which passes through a slot formed in the bar 57. The bar 57 is adapted to extend above the upper edge of the side plate 11 when the bar is in its uppermost position. The lower endof the bar 57 is angularly disposed reanwardly and.

merges into an angled end 59 which is adapted to enter between the teeth of the gear'wheel 16 when the bar is in itsraised position and lock the wheel against rotation. The angled end 59 is preferably apertured to receive the forward end of a spring 60 which is secured to the outer face'of the side plate 11 and which tends to'retain the bar 57 in itsuppermost position. A pawl 61 is pivotally secured by a screw 62 or other means which passesthrough a longitudinal slot formed in the bar 57' to the outer face of the side plate 11 and this pawl is adapted to engage the teeth of the gear wheel 16 and lock the wheel against motion in one direc tion. 7 Y

The journals of. the knurled roller 28 extend through slots 63 formed in the side plates of the supporting frame and are contacted bv resilient elements 64 to press the same againstv the roller 19.

The mechanism thus far described is housed in a suitable outer casing 65 the lower edge of the front plate of .which is turned inwardly to form a flange 66 which is adapted to take under the forward end of the supsame, and for other purposes. A window or transparent panel 72 is provided inthe upper plate of the casing .65 through which the interior of the structure may be observed.

Slots are also provided in'the top plate of this casing to permit the passage therethrough of the plunger 37 and the alinement of the hopper with one of said slots.

The top of the casing 65 is provided, adjacent its forward end, with an opening .Which overlies the table 29 and which is closed by a door 73 hinged at 74. The door 73 is adapted to be swung open, when unlatched, by any suitable resilient means; as l herein shown the door is formed with an extending lug 7 5 which projects rearwardly of. the hinge 74 and which is engaged by rat i one end of a retractile spring 76 the other of the device.

end of which is made fast to the outer face oftheside plate 11. An angular catch 77 is" secured to the under face of the door 73 and ispositioned to be engaged by the latch 54 ,when the door is in closed position.

. In practice the device operates in the fol lowing manner The door 71 is unlocked and opened and the wing nut 69 unscrewed to loosen the clamping plate 68 and permit the outer casing 65 to be removed. A spool or reel 31 containing the web or paper 30 may then be put in place and the paper 30 threaded over the table 29 and attached to the roller 25. The carbon paper 33 is then secured in place over the table and paper 30; the reel of printed policy blanks 34 inserted and the blanks 33 led between the rollers 19 and 28 and over the table 2-9. The outer casing is then replaced and clamped down and the door locked.

To secure a policy, a coin is inserted in the hopper 36 and the plunger 37 depressed, as heretofore described, causing a rearward movement of the latch bar 44 and expulsion of the coin through the slot 41 into the interior When the latch bar 44 moves rearwardly, the cam disk 49 is unlocked as heretofore described and the arm 53 is rocked rearwardly drawing with it'the latch arm 54 and releasing the catch 77,-whereupon the door 73 flies open under the force of the spring 76. When the door73 opens the bar 57, the upper end of which normally contacts the door and which bar is normally depressed by the door, is free to move upwardly under the force of the spring 60. Upon the upward movement of the bar 57 the angled lower end 59 will be brought between teeth of the gear wheel 16 and lock the wheel against rotation.

The customer may now write his name, address and such otherinformation as may be requlred upon that portion of the policy overlying the table 29 and the carbon paper be given a complete revolution, thereby giving the knurled rollers a complete revolution, which draws the web 33 forwardly the length of one policy. Upon this revolution "the various other rollers rotate as heretofore set forth.

} Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and sought by Letters Patent, is

1. A vending machine, including a casing provided with an opening, a door normally trolled means for moving the latch bar from normal position.

2. A vending machine, including a casing for containing documents to be delivered, said casing having an opening, a door normally closing the opening and to be opened for inscription of a document, delivery mechanism within the casing for delivering documents, said mechanism including a disk formed with a shoulder on its periphery; and a camstrip on the disk and formed with a shoulder spaced circumferentially from the shoulder of the disk, an element engaging the shoulder of the disk to normally lock the delivery mechanism against operation, an element carried by said first element and-,normallyengaging the shoulder of the cam strip operating when the first element is released from the shoulder of the d1sk to retain said element in released position, coin controlled means for unlatching the door and releasing the elements to unlock the-delivery mechanism, and means for restoring the elements to normal position.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ILLIAM F. SMITH.

' Witnesses:

LORENZ Fnnsonr, F. J. sOHMITl. 

